Two pulled from car found in Nashua River in Fitchburg

FITCHBURG 
The two people pulled from a submerged car in the Nashua River this morning both had pulses after being rushed to the hospital, according to a fire official. They had been unresponsive earlier.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian F. Belliveau said he was cautiously optimistic that the two, an “older couple,” would recover. The vehicle was spotted by an off-duty police officer.

The rescue occurred about 8:45 a.m., near Barb's Riverside Cafe, 131 Westminster St. and the British American Club, at Simonds Road and Westminster Street.

A group of people rushed to the vehicle, a Buick LaCrosse which was in about three feet of water, and managed to get it upright, according to Deputy Chief Belliveau, Extrication tools were used to free the couple from the car.

“It took a very, very strong effort between the police officers, the firefighters and I believe some civilians at the scene to make this happen the way it did,” Deputy Chief Belliveau said, praising EMS workers for their response.

He said the two people were unresponsive and had no pulses when rescuers removed them from the vehicle. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed en route to UMass Memorial - HealthAlliance Leominster Campus, and the couple's pulses had returned after their arrival at the hospital, the deputy said.

It was not clear how the car ended up in the river or how long it had been there before being seen.

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Photographer Rick Cinclair and Mike Elfland of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.